Congressman Mike Turner reintroduced his legislation which would repeal the Obamacare excise tax on first responder equipment.
Congressman Mike Turner reintroduced his legislation which would repeal the Obamacare excise tax on first responder equipment. Elimination of this tax, which was signed into law one year ago last week, will help businesses like Wilmington, OH manufacturer Ferno – Washington, Inc. create jobs and grow the economy.“Two years from now this provision in Obamacare will impact manufacturers of life saving equipment. Driving up the cost of their products discourages budget strained municipalities from investing in new equipment, and stunts the growth of our struggling economy,” said Congressman Turner.
To shine a spotlight on how Obamacare hurts small businesses, Turner visited Ferno-Washington, Inc. on March 23rd; to announce the reintroduction of this legislation. The local employer is the global leader in the manufacture and distribution of professional emergency, mortuary, and healthcare products sold primarily first responders. The excise tax in Obamacare drives up the cost of medical devices utilized by first responders and ambulance services providing pre-hospital care or emergency transportation to a medical facility.
“While I was visiting Ferno- Washington, Inc. CEO Joe Bourgraf articulated just how this 2.3 percent tax would affect his business. This provision in Obamacare places an undue burden on manufacturers of life saving equipment - even right here in Ohio’s Third Congressional District. Driving up the cost of products discourages budget strained municipalities from investing in new equipment, and stunts the growth of our struggling economy,” added Turner.
Proponents of the excise tax, set to go in effect in 2013, argue that medical device revenue will go up as insurance coverage expands, but that reasoning does not apply to emergency services. Increases in the number of people insured will not substantially increase the number of emergency medical service transports. Leaving this tax in place will increase the cost of emergency care and inhibit innovation and employment at manufactures of emergency medical equipment.
“Some areas in our Congressional District have unemployment rates in excess of 14 percent. A new tax is not going to help our neighbors who are looking for a job, or are struggling to make ends meet. This legislation will go a long way towards helping local manufacturers continue to grow in the years ahead,” noted Turner.